Review—The comic book prelude to Guardians of the Galaxy, the movie

From the previews of the 2014 theatrical release of Guardians of the Galaxy, we get the feel we’re dealing with the motley crew of a Firefly class-inspired vessel, Marvel universe style. Along with that we see plenty of “bounty hunters” or assassin types previewed. Fans of the Eleventh Doctor on the Doctor Who TV series are particularly eager to watch the actress who played the beloved Amelia Pond—Karen Gillan—as the very futuristic looking alien assassin Nebula. Gillan even shaved her head for the role.

We don’t know how great Nebula’s role will be in the film, but she gets center spotlight in the first of two “prelude” comic book issues from Marvel Comics.

Like Darth Vader, Mara Jade, and Anakin Skywalker were subjects of the Emperor, we meet up first with Nebula as she is being guided by the villainous Thanos. And similar to the plot the previews have promised us for the new Tom Cruise summer release Edge of Tomorrow, this warrior fights and loses and is somehow recycled to live and fight on another day. Like Vader and Skywalker, Nebula, too, is part cybernetic.

Nebula is a stunning, beautifully-colored warrior, the kind of warrior you’d find in the samurai school of learning. She repeatedly fails, but is loyal to Thanos. She has a peer, a woman named Gamora (played by Zoe Saldana in the film), who constantly bests her. Nebula is sympathetic, and hard not to like.

Writers Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning and penciler Wellinton Alves, inker Manny Clark, and colorist Jay David Ramos, have definitely whetted our appetite for the film, highlighting one of the intriguing second tier characters from the new movie.

Guardians of the Galaxy, Prelude Part 1, is available in comic books stores now. Prelude Part 2, featuring Rocket Raccoon and Groot, the two characters everyone seems most excited to see in the new movie, will be released next month.